Two correctional officers from Philadelphia’s largest jail were arrested this week for allegedly smuggling contraband cellphones and drugs to inmates.
Prosecutors said that Roderick Price, 41, and Christina Ingram, 23, made “thousands of dollars” exchanging phones, charging cords, AirPods and Suboxone, a medication used to treat people abusing opioids, for cash and virtual payments at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
“They both had their own thing going,” District Attorney Larry Krasner told reporters. “They had separate operations.”
Price has been employed at the Philadelphia Department of Prisons since 2006, while Ingram began the job last year, according to the DA’s Office.
Authorities have encountered cases where inmates have used secret cellphones to intimidate victims and witnesses or communicate with criminals outside the walls, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Lanuti said.
“Introducing contraband undermines the security and integrity of our facilities and threatens the safety of all of our staff and the inmate population,” Prisons Commissioner Michael Resnick said Tuesday afternoon at a news conference. “We will continue our efforts to uncover this type of activity and ensure those involved are prosecuted.”
Prosecutors with the DA’s Gun Violence Task Force said the arrests came out of a separate probe into a shooting and kidnapping. A defendant in that case acquired contraband, and authorities looked into the source, Lanuti added.
Price and Ingram were both charged with multiple counts of participating in corrupt organizations, criminal conspiracy, dealing in illegal proceeds and related crimes.
The public defender’s association, which is representing Ingram, did not respond to a request for comment. Price’s defense attorney could not be identified through court documents Wednesday.
